A known image forming apparatus, such as a printer and a copier, includes a sheet conveying apparatus for conveying a recording sheet and an image forming device. The sheet conveying apparatus conveys a sheet along a conveyance path from a feed tray to a discharge tray. While the sheet is conveyed along the conveyance path, the image forming device forms an image on the sheet.
The sheet conveying apparatus includes a conveying roller and a pinch roller, which are paired with each other. The conveying roller is a drive roller and the pinch roller is a driven roller. The pinch roller is disposed such that its peripheral surface is in contact with the peripheral surface of the conveying roller. The pinch roller is pressed against the conveying roller by a pressing device. When a sheet enters between the conveying roller and the pinch roller, the conveying roller applies a conveying force to the sheet, and the sheet is conveyed by the conveying force.
Such a conveying force can be strengthened by increasing a force that the pressing device applies to the pinch roller, which may result in increased sheet conveying performance to convey a relatively thick sheet appropriately.